Napatree Point slated by Westerly Town Council to be privatized and closed to the public

[SlackTideBri]

 

 The Westerly Town Council has decided to go into executive session to discuss and possibly take action in regard to Fort Rd. Napatree Point public access right of way. 

 

We are learning from our contacts that there is some kind of new evidence being looked at and that corrupt individuals on the town council are making their move. They want the WTC to abandon or give up ownership of the Right of way to Napatree point and Fort Rd. and give it to the Watch Hill Fire District. No one on the Westerly Town Council is allowed to speak about what is being discussed or any new evidence discussed at these closed-door executive session meetings of the Westerly Town Council. 

 

Please send a letter to Mary Leblanc mleblanc@westerlyri.gov and the rest of the Westerly Town Council ASAP and I encourage as many people as possible to attend the Westerly Fire District meeting on Monday at 5:30 at the Westerly Town Hall. We need an overwhelming public outcry; you don't necessarily need to speak but you can if you want. Napatree Point Fort Rd has been accessed forever if the Westerly Town Council gives this ROW away the public will never be able to have a walking access to that beach. The Watch Hill Fire District has already filed a lawsuit against the town of Westerly regarding this matter.  There is a faction in the Westerly Town Council that is trying push through this privatization of Napatree Point for several reasons one has been paid $ 30,000.00 by the Watch Hill Fire District over the course of the last few years and owning a house in Watch Hill a clear conflict of interest this person has not recused himself nor has the Westerly Town Council deemed him to have a conflict of interest he still has a vote on this matter.

 

Need to flood the council with letters and attendance. If you send a letter, please state you wish to add it to the meeting minutes so it can be of record. A 10 minute letter to them can save the point and preserve fishing access. Again, the Email to send is: mleblanc@westerlyri.gov

 

We need a win on this. I appreciate all who took the time to read the post and those willing to act. 

 

 

[bdowning]

Will send an email this weekend. These people never give up.

[NewEngBoy011]

Thank you for the info, I just sent an email,

please continue to pass on any pertinent info, I am willing to help anyway I can…this one hits home, I’m full time resident here in Westerly and my wife, kids, and I favorite activity is hiking Naps 

 

 

[trwhite]

I watched the meeting stream and it doesn’t sound like they have a case. That lawyer from north stonington that got up there pretty much laid it all out. Sounds like the town needs to get better legal counsel and the crmc needs to designate the overlook and napatree as rights of way. So bizarre how these ghouls continue to try to limit access to the public time after time despite overwhelming evidence that they have no legal standing. They seem to try something every time there’s a new town council with hopes they will miss something which seems to be the case here.

 
 

I can’t even fathom a place like napatree becoming private… it is such an absurdly unpopular proposal that I am surprised they even had the gall to go down this route.

[splions]

Scumbags!  I wouldn’t spend one penny in that town. 

[SlackTideBri]

 They infiltrate, then poison.... if that doesn't work, they sue. 

[bdowning]

Like I said above, they never give up. Hopefully common sense will prevail.

[SlackTideBri]

Looks like Westerly Town Council will convene again tomorrow (Wednesday) but this time the public will not be permitted to voice their sentiments on record. Will know more later today after speaking with a right to access advocate. I'm just as ticked about this as you guys are. Damn shame we have to fight for something that was ours all along. 

Edited June 13 by SlackTideBri

[Parker650]

From Westerly Town Council agenda for Wednesday, June 14, 2023 at 5:30PM:

 

3.    NEW BUSINESS

 

a.     Resolution Of The Westerly Town Council In Support Of The Coastal Resources Management Council’s (CRMC) Designation Of Public Access To, From, And Across Napatree Point, Including Fort Road As A CRMC Recognized Right-Of-Way (ROW) – Discussion and Possible Action.

 

The resolution attached to that agenda item is also attached if interested.

 

Westerly_TC-NapatreeResolution.pdf

[dangingras]

6 hours ago, Parker650 said:

From Westerly Town Council agenda for Wednesday, June 14, 2023 at 5:30PM:

 

3.    NEW BUSINESS

 

a.     Resolution Of The Westerly Town Council In Support Of The Coastal Resources Management Council’s (CRMC) Designation Of Public Access To, From, And Across Napatree Point, Including Fort Road As A CRMC Recognized Right-Of-Way (ROW) – Discussion and Possible Action.

 

The resolution attached to that agenda item is also attached if interested.

 

Westerly_TC-NapatreeResolution.pdf 20.98 kB · 13 downloads

 

Did the CRMC set them straight? Looks like a 180*

[dangingras]

Just now, dangingras said:

 

Did the CRMC set them straight? Looks like a 180*

Who was behind the initial attempted theft, The Misquamicut Club?

[Parker650]

Watch Hill Fire District.  

[SlackTideBri]

Curious if proposed resolution was adopted or if WTC is still flopping around in deliberation. The state (the people of RI) has property out there so one would think they'd be the first jump on this before the political and legal gymnastics came into play. 

[DZ]

8 mins ago, SlackTideBri said:

Curious if proposed resolution was adopted or if WTC is still flopping around in deliberation. The state (the people of RI) has property out there so one would think they'd be the first jump on this before the political and legal gymnastics came into play. 

This was from a Facebook group I belong to. ((I would like to thank everyone who helped so selflessly to advance the cause. By uniting and forcing the issue we got the Westerly Town Council to vote unanimously to send the Napatree Point/Fort Rd matter to CRMC.))